Darcy Wakaluk

Last updated
Darcy Wakaluk
Born (1966-03-14) March 14, 1966 (age 57)
Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Buffalo Sabres
Minnesota North Stars
Dallas Stars
Phoenix Coyotes
NHL Draft 144th overall, 1984
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 1986–1997

Darcy Wakaluk (born March 14, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League from 1988 to 1997.

Contents

Wakaluk played for the WHL's Kelowna Wings and Spokane Chiefs. After being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, Wakaluk then spent part of 5 seasons with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, winning the Calder Cup Championship in his first year (1986–87) and reaching the Finals once again in 1989-90.

On December 6, 1987, Wakaluk became the first American Hockey League goaltender to score a goal when he shot the puck the length of the ice into an empty net in a game with Rochester against Utica. Two days later, Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers would accomplish the same feat becoming the first NHL goalie to score a goal by shooting the puck, also shooting into an empty net (Billy Smith had been credited with a goal a few years earlier, but it had been an instance of an opposing player accidentally shooting the puck into his own empty net). Darcy would go on to be inducted into the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame in 2012.

He was selected 144th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft and started playing for them in the 1988–89 season, where he appeared in six games. He played another 16 games (and 2 playoff contests) with Buffalo in 1990-91 until being traded to the Minnesota North Stars for Buffalo's 1991 8th round pick and future considerations on May 26, 1991. [1]

He played for the North Stars for two seasons, and subsequently the Dallas Stars, after the North stars had relocated to Texas, where, after taking over starting duties from Andy Moog at the beginning the 1994 playoffs, he swept the St. Louis Blues in Round One, winning the last game ever played at St. Louis Arena. In 1996, he was signed as a free agent by the Phoenix Coyotes, where he played his final season after a career-ending knee injury in a game against the Washington Capitals in January 1997 forced his retirement.

Since retiring Darcy has been a Goaltending Coach for four teams in the WHL and another in the AJHL. He spent 9 seasons as Goaltending Coach with the Calgary Hitmen, (where he won a WHL Championship in 2010 while coaching a young future NHL star netminder Martin Jones), previously with the Vancouver Giants, Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves, Kamloops Blazers, and most recently with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. [2] [3]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1982–83 Pincher Creek Oilers AAHA 38———228011603.05—————————
1983–84 Kelowna Wings WHL 312220155516306.29.836————————
1984–85 Kelowna WingsWHL5419304309424404.73—5142822204.68—
1985–86 Spokane Chiefs WHL4721221256222415.25—————————
1986–87 Flint Spirits IHL 9————————————————
1986–87 Rochester Americans AHL 112205452602.86.9105201411104.68—
1987–88 Rochester AmericansAHL5527163276315903.45.8816333282204.02.852
1988–89 Buffalo Sabres NHL 61302141504.21.833————————
1988–89 Rochester AmericansAHL331114015669713.72.869————————
1989–90 Rochester AmericansAHL5631164309517323.35.8831710610015003.01—
1990–91 Buffalo SabresNHL164536303503.32.88020137203.24.909
1990–91 Rochester AmericansAHL261010313636842.99.9009635443003.31—
1991–92 Minnesota North Stars NHL3613191190510413.28.881————————
1991–92 Kalamazoo Wings IHL110060707.00—————————
1992–93 Minnesota North StarsNHL291012515969713.65.879————————
1993–94 Dallas Stars NHL36189620008832.64.9105413071502.93.911
1994–95 Dallas StarsNHL154807544023.18.88310020103.00.889
1995–96 Dallas StarsNHL379165187510613.39.891————————
1996–97 Phoenix Coyotes NHL168317893912.99.899————————
NHL Totals191677521975652493.22.8898423641802.97.910

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant Fuhr</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1962)

Grant Scott Fuhr is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL) and former goaltending coach for the Arizona Coyotes, who played for the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s during which he won the Stanley Cup five times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artūrs Irbe</span> Latvian ice hockey player and coach

Artūrs Irbe is a Latvian professional ice hockey coach and former goaltender. Born during the Soviet era, Irbe played for various Soviet league teams and the Soviet Union national team before moving to North America in 1991. Irbe played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, and Carolina Hurricanes. In 2004 Irbe returned to Europe to play until he retired in 2007. He has served as a goaltending coach with Dinamo Riga, the Washington Capitals and the Buffalo Sabres, as well as internationally with the Latvia men's national ice hockey team. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Malarchuk</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Clint Malarchuk is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1981 and 1992. He has been a coach for four NHL teams and two minor league teams, most recently the Calgary Flames. He was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta, raised in Edmonton, Alberta, and lives in Alberta and Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochester Americans</span> American Hockey League team in Rochester, New York

The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Americans are the fourth oldest franchise in the AHL, and have the second longest continuous tenure among AHL teams in their current locations after the Hershey Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goaltender</span> Person who tends the goal in ice hockey

In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near the area in front of the net called the goal crease. Goaltenders tend to stay at or beyond the top of the crease to cut down on the angle of shots. In the modern age of goaltending there are two common styles, butterfly and hybrid. Because of the power of shots, the goaltender wears special equipment to protect the body from direct impact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Osgood</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1972)

Christopher John Osgood is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a Detroit Red Wings studio analyst and part-time color commentator for Bally Sports Detroit. He won three Stanley Cup championships in his career, all with the Red Wings, with two of them coming while he was starting goaltender. He is ranked 13th in wins in NHL regular season history with 401.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calgary Hitmen</span> Western Hockey League team in Calgary, Alberta

The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League (WHL). They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner as well as the inspiration for the team's name. Established in 1994, the team has been owned by the Calgary Flames hockey club since 1997. They are the third WHL team to represent Calgary, preceded by the Centennials and Wranglers.

The 1987–88 NHL season was the 71st season of the National Hockey League. It was an 80-game season with the top four teams in each division advancing to the Stanley Cup playoffs. This season would see the Edmonton Oilers win their fourth Stanley Cup in five years by sweeping the Boston Bruins 4–0 in the Stanley Cup Finals. In the process of their Cup win, Edmonton lost only two games, a record for the "16 wins" playoff format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1999 Stanley Cup Finals</span> 1999 ice hockey championship series

The 1999 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1998–99 season, and the culmination of the 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Eastern Conference champion Buffalo Sabres and the Western Conference champion Dallas Stars. It was the 106th year of the Stanley Cup being contested.

Donald Andrew Moog is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Moog played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens, and also for the Canadian national team. Moog is a three-time Stanley Cup champion: 1984, 1985 and 1987. He earned the William M. Jennings Trophy in the 1989–90 NHL season for fewest total goals against the team during the regular season, sharing the trophy with his goaltending partner, Reggie Lemelin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cam Ward</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1984)

Cameron Kenneth Ward is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played the majority of his 15-year professional career for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Chicago Blackhawks during his final season before signing a one-day contract to officially retire as a Hurricane in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Moen</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Travis Shawn Moen is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who most recently played under contract for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Although he was born in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, he grew up in Stewart Valley, Saskatchewan. He was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames; however, he never played for the club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005–06 WHL season</span>

The 2005–06 WHL season was the 40th season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72-game schedule. The Vancouver Giants won the President's Cup.

The history of ice hockey in Calgary extends back well over a century to the first recorded ice hockey game in Alberta in 1893. Imported from eastern Canada, the game's popularity rapidly grew in the city, with teams at every level playing for and capturing Canada's national championships. Calgary is known today as one of Canada's best ice hockey cities with the Calgary Flames and Calgary Hitmen receiving immense support from the city. The Calgary Oval X-Treme is one of the most dominant women's ice hockey teams in the country, while Junior A ice hockey is also well supported with two teams in the city. Calgary is home to the Mac's AAA midget hockey tournament, one of the most prestigious midget hockey tournaments in the world which has seen dozens of future National Hockey League players play in this city before their professional careers began.

David K. Littman is an American former ice hockey goaltender. He played three games in the National Hockey League: two with the Buffalo Sabres and one with the Tampa Bay Lightning between 1991 and 1993. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1989 to 2000, was mainly spent in the minor International Hockey League. He was drafted in the eleventh round, 211th overall, of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Sabres. Internationally Littman played for the American national team at the 1994 World Championships.

The 2000–01 Buffalo Sabres season was the 31st season for the team in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Sabres finished with a 46–30–5–1 record in the regular season, and won the Conference Quarterfinals (4–2) over the Philadelphia Flyers, but lost the Conference Semifinals (4–3) to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was also the final time they made the playoffs before the 2004–05 NHL lockout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Jones (ice hockey)</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Martin Jones is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. He previously played for the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Seattle Kraken. A standout goaltender in junior with the Calgary Hitmen, Jones was named the Western Hockey League's goaltender of the year in 2009–10 and won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linus Ullmark</span> Swedish ice hockey player (born 1993)

Linus Ullmark is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round, 163rd overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. With the Bruins during the 2022–23 season, Ullmark led the NHL in wins, goals against average, and save percentage, scored an empty net goal, and won both the William M. Jennings Trophy and Vezina Trophy, the former being shared with his teammate Jeremy Swayman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtis Lazar</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1995)

Curtis Lazar is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Driedger</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Chris Driedger is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Driedger was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

References

  1. ↑ Bio. Wakaluk In Minnesota he teamed up with Jon Casey to share starting duties.
  2. ↑ "Calgary Hitmen - Hockey Operations & Staff". www.hitmenhockey.com. Archived from the original on 2010-09-27.
  3. ↑ "Darcy Wakaluk". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.